slavery

by Frederick Douglass

The great abolitionist Frederick Douglass “spoke truth to Power” most unforgettably on July 5, 1852, in Rochester, New York. “There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very hour.

by BAR editor and senior columnist Margaret Kimberley

It is truly astounding how the U.S. criminal justice system finds infinite opportunities to array straightforward statutes in ways that disproportionately disadvantage Black people. “The purpose of American criminal injustice is to keep certain groups, black people most obviously, vulnerable to any form of attack the system can devise.”

by Solomon Comissiong

It’s come-to-meeting time in the world of Hip Hop. “It is imperative that politically conscious and revolutionary minded Emcees of the Golden Era of Hip Hop, and of today, organize a closed-door summit.” Cultural and economic liberation should top the agenda.

by Colin Jenkins

The endemic violence of a society born of genocide, slavery, misogyny and ruthless capitalism is institutionalized in modern American structures. “The equipment and machinery regularly utilized by local police forces across the US now mimics that of a war zone,” while the “violence that is perpetrated abroad mimics the violent culture at home” – an awesomely deadly cross-pollination.

Halloween brings out the worst, in the worst white folks. “What was an enjoyable time to dress up in costume has become the white racist moment to act out sick fantasy.” The bigots would like their version of Halloween to last all year. “A return to the good old days of slavery, colonial violence, invasions and occupations is something they pine for quite openly.”

Despite Native American protests, the owner of the Washington “Redskins” refuses to jettison the football team’s racist moniker. Even some Black fans cling to the shameful imaginary, notwithstanding the fact that “most African-Americans would be extremely offended if someone started a franchise with the name, ‘San Jose Black Skins’ or the ‘Chicago Niggers’ or the ‘Baton Rouge Black Bucks.’”

The White Man was invented in colonial America “in response to class struggle,” according to the classic work of Theodore W. Allen, now republished. The conferring of white privilege was “not only ruinous for African-Americans; they were also against the class interest of European-American workers.”

By his silence, President Obama is giving the wink and nod to guest worker programs under immigration reform, further institutionalizing the displacement of African Americans from farm work. “The farm owners, like their historical brethren, seek the closest approximation to slave labor that society will allow,” but “African Americans refuse to be treated as slaves or fugitives in a foreign land.”

History has placed the BRICS nations on the path of confrontation with a superpower in decline. Washington is prepared to strangle the world into submission, or drown it in chaos. “Objectively, the United States has positioned itself as the great and implacable impediment to global development.”

“The time has come to pass anti-lynching laws in this country,” said former Delaware State University professor Jahi Issa, who was fired following a student protest against a spate of suspicious hangings of young Blacks. “If these are suicides, then we want the federal Centers for Disease Control to come in and investigate why, all of a sudden, Black men are hanging themselves from oak trees,” said Issa. A protest against lynching is scheduled for January 15, in Dover, Delaware.

Anti-NAACP Demonstration, February 1

Hundreds are expected to picket the NAACP Image Awards ceremonies on February 1, in Los Angeles, according to Rev. Edward Pinkney, a former president of the civil rights organization’s Benton Harbor, Michigan, chapter. “They no longer fight for civil rights, and we’ve got to hold the NAACP accountable for their actions and inactions,” said Pinkney, who charged the organization with selling out to corporate interests. “We give other Black people a free pass, and that’s why we’re in such a compromised position, today.”

NAACP in Democrats’ Pockets, Says Former Chapter President

“We all know for a fact that” the NAACP is “a political machine for the Democratic Party,” said David Lowrey, former president of the group’s Chicago South Suburban chapter. Lowrey is circulating a petition to have the NAACP’s non-profit status revoked for acting as a “political advocacy arm” of the Democratic Party. Except for getting out the Black vote for Democrats, the NAACP has become “a big social club,” said Lowrey. “They rake in millions of dollars from all of these sponsors,” then “look the other way on major issues like racial murders and police brutality.”

The Tracks of Obama’s Tears

President Obama’s tearful performance following the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, was “theater for the public,” said Dr. Johnny Williams, professor of sociology at Trinity College, in Hartford, Connecticut. “These tears were shed for a particular group of children, not for children overall,” said Williams. “Violence has been going on ever since Obama has been in office, especially in his home city of Chicago where, I’m sure, more than 26 kids have lost their lives during the year. But Obama has shed no tears about that.”

Racist Roots of 2nd Amendment

“Historically, the principal activities of the Founding Fathers’ ‘well-regulated militia’ were Indian killing, land stealing, slave patrolling, and the enforcement of domestic apartheid,” said BAR managing editor Bruce Dixon. The 2nd Amendment institutionalized the massing of “universally armed white men against Blacks and Indians.”

Renters Barely Protected from Foreclosure Evictions

Despite comprising “a majority of households in several of our most populous cities,” renters rely on a single piece of federal legislation to safeguard their rights in the ongoing foreclosure crisis. The Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act, which is set to expire in 2014, should be made permanent, said Tristia Bauman, of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. Bauman is author of the Center’s recent report, “Eviction (Without) Notice.”

The former U.S. Senator finally emerged as the Black “consensus” candidate in the city’s mayoral race. But labor activist James Thindwa says Moseley-Braun brings lots of baggage, having “managed to alienate major Democratic progressive constituencies" during her 1993-99 term. “Some energy is firming up around her now,” says Thindwa, “but that’s because there is no alternative.”

Retaliation Against Inmates in Georgia Prisons

Attacks against inmates by prison guards “were carried out in retaliation for the statewide prison work stoppage, and were not isolated,” said Georgia State NAACP President Edward O. Dubose, speaking for the Concerned Coalition to Respect Prisoners Rights. Some assaults on inmates occurred after visits to prison facilities by the Coalition delegations.

200th Anniversary of Largest U.S. Slave Rebellion

The 1811 slave revolt near New Orleans was the biggest and most organized slave uprising in U.S. history, but “because of the power of slaveowners in Louisiana, information about the rebellion was largely suppressed,” said community historian Malcolm Suber. Over 100 slaves were killed in battle and more than 60 others were executed, their heads “placed on pikes that lined River Road between St. John’s Parish and New Orleans.”

Cuba has been biggest medical helper to Haiti both before and after last January’s massive earthquake, says journalist and community activist Ray LeForest.

The Tea Party is about “putting white people first,” says BAR senior columnist Margaret Kimberley. “The whole notion of a post-racial United States is a farcical one.”

Our new web site is almost here. The first stage of our makeover was moving our 8 years of content to new servers, which we did over the holidays. The second stage was optimizing the performance of those new servers, which we finished after a brief outage last Thursday. The third stage will be rolling out the new site, with restored images, better sound and new features, coming by the end of this month. Thank you for your patience.

Help us to keep doing this. Make a one-time donation in any amount today.

Please know that being our “friend” or “liking” us on Facebook does not guarantee that you'll see Black Agenda Report's posts in your news feed. Facebook arbitrarily limits the reach of persons and business to 15% of “friends” and “likes”. The only way to be sure you receive weekly updates from Black Agenda Report is to sign up for our weekly email alerts on the left side of this page.